Integrating Career Development into the MPH Curriculum: Academic Partnership in Action

Recognizing the growing need to support students in connecting their academic experiences to career goals, the Fleishman Career Center has partnered with Binghamton University’s Master of Public Health program under the leadership of Dr. Yvonne Johnston to integrate career and professional development into each semester of the MPH curriculum.

This collaboration emerged from shared conversations about the importance of preparing public health students not just with academic knowledge, but with the professional skills and confidence needed to navigate the job market. Last spring, we collaborated with clinical assistant professor Thomas Foley to deliver a live session to final semester MPH students focused on skill articulation, job search strategies, and interviewing. We also hosted a Public Health Professionals Panel, where students heard directly from alumni and professionals working in a range of public health roles.

From there, we created a semester-by-semester framework to begin this fall that aligns career development topics with the natural progression of the MPH program:

• PH 501: Career exploration within the context of public health
  Students begin with career exploration, reflecting on their public health interests, values, and long-term goals.
• PH 502: Skill building, skill articulation, and resume preparation
  The focus shifts to skill-building and articulation, including resume development and identifying transferable skills.
• PH 503: Networking, job search strategies, and interviewing
  Students learn how to network effectively, explore job search strategies, and practice interviewing.
• PH 504: Evaluating job offers, negotiating, and career well-being strategies
  In their final semester, students receive guidance on evaluating job offers, negotiating, and building long-term career well-being.

The content is delivered through a mix of in-class sessions and asynchronous materials housed in Brightspace, providing flexibility while ensuring consistency. This approach not only supports students’ career readiness but also aligns with updated accreditation requirements and the development of a new professional development course sequence.

This partnership has shown that integrating career education doesn’t require an overhaul, just intentional touchpoints that meet students where they are. If you’re a faculty or staff member interested in bringing something similar to your program, we’d love to collaborate.

You can complete the program request form or email Jessica Lane-Rwabukwisi, jlanerwa@binghamton.edu, to get started.